Chapter 2

Elara's POV 

Damian's smirk widened as he relished every bit of my outrage. 

"Are you trying to make me suffer?" Damian sneered. "Wrong choice. You’re just as stupid as your father.”

My heart tightened as his words hung in the air. "How dare you insult my family," I hissed. "They accepted you, believed in you and gave you the chance to run a company. You ungrateful little rat, hiding your true identity like a coward. Who are you, really?”

I met Damian at a high-profile gala four years ago. He was a Rogue. No pack. No family. While I was the Alpha's daughter. I was drawn to his charm, wit, and resilience—qualities that set him apart from the privileged men in my social circle. 

We started as friends, but our bond soon grew into something deeper. Despite my family’s initial objections, they eventually accepted him. My father, impressed by Damian’s knack for identifying business opportunities and negotiating deals, offered him a partnership in our family business

But here he was, biting the very hands that fed him.

Damian's smile didn't waver, instead he let out a dry laugh, shaking his head like my rage was a mere joke.

"Who am I?" He repeated mockingly. "I am exactly who I have always been, Elara. You just choose to see what you want to see. Your family's faith in me? Their acceptance ? It was all self-serving. They thought I was their ticket. I just played the game long enough to take what is mine."

I couldn't understand what he was saying. "Yours? What do you mean?"

“Ask your father how he treated the people he crushed to build his empire. He’s no saint, Elara. And now he’s paying for it.”

Before I could respond, a soft mocking tone drew my attention. Lyra wore a smug expression, clearly enjoying the show. 

"Elara, you really are naive," Lyra said, her voice dripping with false pretense. "Do you really honestly think someone like Damian would settle for being your little house pet."

"Shut up," I snapped, turning to her. "You have no right to speak to me like that, you shameless sl*t."

Lyra smirks, but she quickly recovers, her eyes flicking towards damian. "She's fiery, isn't she? Too bad it's all wasted energy."

My anger flared. "You..."

"Enough, Elara," Damian interrupted sharply, before I could lash out further.

Lyra pouted playfully, stepping back, clearly content to let Damian handle the situation.

I turned back to Damian, my voice trembling with a mix of rage and desperation. "What happened to my family?"

"If I were you, I wouldn’t waste time asking questions. I’d go home and see if you can make it in time to say goodbye.” 

A cold dread settled within me. Without another word, I turned and ran, my heart pounding at the suffocating weight of his warning.

The ride home was a blur. By the time I pulled into the driveway, my hands were trembling so badly that I could barely turn off the engine. 

But what greeted me was worse than I imagined. The mansion I grew in, the one my family worked hard to build, was stripped bare. The window was dark, and the front yard was empty. A "For sale," sign stood crookedly on the lawn.

"No," I whispered, stumbling out of the car. My legs felt like lead as I approached the gate. I tried to open it, but the lock has been changed.

Panicking, I pulled out my phone and dialed my parents number, but both went into voicemail. 

Finally, Beta Gomez answered, his voice heavy with concern. 

"Elara, where are you? I have been trying to reach you."

"Beta Gomez," I gasped, clutching the phone, like it was a lifeline. "What's happening? Where is my family?"

There was a long tense silence before GA finally said. "Elara..... Your father's in the hospital. It's really bad. I'll come get you."

Gomez found me at a curb sitting outside the house, tears streaming down my face. He didn't say anything, just helped into his car and drove me to the hospital. Beta Gomez had always been a kind and considerate man. He was my father's best friend and Beta—in fact he was family.

Inside a private ward at the hospital, my mother sat by my father's bedside, her shoulders slumped with exhaustion. When she saw me, her face twisted with anger and relief.

"Elara," she said, standing up abruptly. Before I could react she slapped me hard across the face.

I staggered backward, stunned. “Mom—”

"This is your fault," she cried, her voice breaking. "We warned you about him. We told you not to marry him and now look at what's happened."

"Mom, I don't know —”

"You don't know," she interrupted, tears streaming down her face. "You brought him into our lives, Elara. He's destroyed us."

From the hospital bed, my father let out a weak groan, his hand twitching like he was trying to reach for her. My mother immediately turned, her anger dissolving into concern. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, taking his hand. “I’m sorry, but I just… I can’t…”

I stood frozen, shame and guilt coursing through me. My mother turned at me, her expression slightly softened. "I don't hate you, Elara," she said quietly. "You're still my daughter after all. Come here." She opened her arms wide. 

I ran into her embrace. "I'm..... sorry. I'm sorry. I should've listened," I said repeatedly, my voice breaking. Our sobs reverberated through the room. We bent over father, pulling him into an embrace too, consoling each other.

After our sobs subsided, reality came crashing down on me as mother filled me in.

Damian had ruined us. Totally.

He had embezzled the company’s assets, leaving us with nothing and destroying any opportunity to rebuild our lives elsewhere. Not only did Father lose his company, but he was also framed for numerous crimes, including embezzlement, tax evasion, and more. On his way to confront Damian, Father was struck by a truck, leaving him in critical condition and in desperate need of surgery. With no funds to cover the medical expenses, the family was forced to sell the house.

Hot anger surged through me. All the years of love and trust I harboured for him vanished into thin air, replaced disdain. It really is funny how my life took a drastic turn in barely twenty four hours. I'm really losing everything — my marriage, family, place, and in a few months time, I might be losing my health or my baby or better still both. What a life!

Later that evening, I sat by my father's bedside, holding his hands as he drifted in and out of consciousness. The doctor's word replayed on a loop in my mind:

"The surgery didn't go well. He'll be bedridden for life, unless you can afford another surgery." 

Another half a million dollars? Where would we find that? Our account has been frozen by that bastard. And our reputation has been tarnished that no one would want to associate with us. I wonder what the press are saying right now. I couldn't bring myself to check but I know it can't be good.

"Well, well, well," Damian's taunting, unwelcoming voice jolted me out of my misery. "Look who's lying unconscious."

I jumped to my feet, turning towards him. Damian stood by the door, wearing a satisfied grin.

"You bastard," I spat coldly, glaring at him. "What the hell are you doing here? How could you show up here after everything?"

He walked towards me in slow, deliberate steps,savoringg my rage like it was his favorite pastime. “Because I wanted to see how it feels for you to lose everything. Just like I did.”